


The Powdered Donut Incident

by kimmins



Series: The Incident Series [1]
Category: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, ladies dealing with lady things, the boys take good care of their Drummer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-05
Updated: 2017-12-05
Packaged: 2019-02-11 00:30:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12923445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kimmins/pseuds/kimmins
Summary: Amanda just wanted her damn donuts. Was that too much to ask for?





	The Powdered Donut Incident

**Author's Note:**

> I'd like to thank Shenanigans for giving TakadaSaiko the happy image of The Rowdies eating donuts because it sparked this. 
> 
> This takes place after Burgers, Books and Bedtimes but it isn't necessary to read it.

 

Amanda had never been one of those chocolate craving girls when she was riding the crimson wave. She craved salty things when she craved anything at all, with one exception. She loved her some Mrs. Baird's powdered donuts while she was curled up on the couch with a heating pad to ward off the worst of her cramps.

 

When she’d lived alone she had stored a bag or two for her dread week and they would last her a month or two. Now that she was living out of a van with four guys, four guys that didn’t _need_ to eat but somehow seemed to make any food she hoarded disappear like magic, she had to be sneaky.

 

On their last pit stop everyone but Martin had clamored out of the van and into the gas station.

 

Gripps, as the holder of money, paid for the gas while Cross and Vogel bee lined it to the icee machines. Amanda went to the bathroom. It was always nice to not have to pee in the woods, particularly after that one time. She shuddered just thinking about it.

 

When she was done she wandered around the small shop to kill time while Martin filled up and the guys gathered supplies. Making it back toward the soda fountains she watched as Vogel filled a huge cup with a nauseating mixture of sodas. Cross was standing next to him, his arms full of junk food that she was sure wouldn’t last the day.

 

“You want anything Drummer?” he asked her as he watched Vogel very delicately put a lid on his enormous drink.

 

“Nah, I’m good,” she said truthfully. She didn’t feel all that hungry. Amanda knew it was just another sign that she’d be starting soon. She always seemed to lose her appetite a few days before her period. Of course that was when she saw it.

 

A Grab-n-Go bag of powdered donuts.

 

Amanda swallowed hard. She was going to need those bad boys in a few days and here was her chance to get them. Except for the fact that Cross was standing right there. She’d have no chance to save any for when she needed them if he knew they existed. Because if he knew Vogel would know and they’d be gone by morning.

 

What was she going to do?

 

“Drummer? You there?” Cross gave her a look, probably picking up on the shift in her emotions.

 

Amanda tried to not look like she’d been caught and hastily responded, “Yeah.”

 

“You sure?” he asked just to be safe.

 

“Yeah. I’m sure,” she said as she pushed him towards where Gripps was waiting to pay for the food. “Go buy your shit.”

 

He looked at her over his shoulder saying, “You know I’ll share if you want any, right.”

 

“I know. Now go. I think Vogel is going to combust if he doesn't get to drink his drink in the next thirty seconds.” They both looked at the Rowdy in question. He was nearly vibrating where he stood next to Gripps, bouncing fast on the balls of his feet as he waited.

 

With one last look at Amanda, he made his way over to the counter and dumped his hoard down.

 

With Cross gone she could properly strategize. How was she going to buy the donuts and hide them while everyone was around? After a few moments of thinking she realized she was going to need a man on the inside.  

 

She checked to see if the coast was clear. Vogel was already outside happily slurping on is drink and Cross was close behind him, two bags full of junk hanging from his hands as he walked back to the van. Good.

 

That meant she was alone with Gripps. Perfect.

 

Gripps was the only one she could trust at a time like this. She wouldn’t even be able to trust Martin, sneaky bastard that he was, with something as delicate as her donuts. Plus Gripps had all the money.

 

So right before he walked out of the store she grabbed on to his arm, “Hey I’ve got a thing I need your help with.”

 

A wide grin spread across his face, “Yeah? A secret thing?”

 

A matching grin appeared on Amanda’s face. “Yeah. The secretest thing.”

 

A few minutes later, as Martin finished up his cigarette he watched as Amanda and Gripps exited the small convenience store. There was something about the two of them that smelled off. Not bad or wrong per say, but off. There was a scent of some emotion on the two of them that he couldn’t quite place.

 

He smashed his cigarette butt into the ground as he walked back to the van, intercepting the two of them. “What are the two of up to?” he asked in a slow drawl.

 

Amanda just yanked open the passenger side door and smiled at him before she hopped in. Gripps climbed into the back with Cross and Vogel without answering.

 

Suspicious, Martin watched them both as he finished filling the tank and climbed into the van. Something funny was going on with the two of them and he was determined to find out what it was.

 

Hours later he pulled off the road and stopped at an abandoned farmhouse for the night.

 

Martin was still slightly on edge from whatever was going on with Gripps and Drummer. So when he lead the pack into a round of destruction on the poor old house. It helped with the restless energy that had built up in him since the gas station. What it did not do was help him figure out what the hell was going on with his brother and their Drummer.

 

They acted like normal for the most part. But every once in awhile he’d catch them sharing a look. He knew it was nothing really. But there was just something about it that itched in the back of his mind.

 

He tried to ignore the feeling as Gripps set up the fire pit and Vogel pulled out all the snacks and drinks they’d picked up earlier. Cross and Drummer were working on pulling the seats out of the van and he went to help them.

 

Once everything was set up the nightly party began and any weird feeling Martin had faded as the sun set and the their howling rose into the night.

 

Hours later he and the boys were still going strong, but their Drummer was starting to flag. She was sitting on the ground, Gripps behind her braiding her hair. Martin watched as every few seconds her eyes would flutter shut. The drink she had been nursing for the last hour threatened to slip out of her fingers and he decided it was time to send her off to bed.

 

Careful not to startle her, he quietly walked up next to her and Gripps. He shared a soft smile with his brother at the drowsing girl before kneeling down beside her and laying a gentle hand on her shoulder.

 

Her eyes flutter open and she looked his direction with sleep heavy eyes. “Martin?’ she asked a little blearily.

 

He smiled to himself just a little at how cute she looked in that moment. “Think it’s time you called it a night Drummer,” he said as he slipped the bottle out of her hands and set it aside.

 

She tried to argue with him for a moment, “No, no I’m fi-” but was cut off by a jaw cracking yawn. “Ok maybe you’re right,” she managed to get out through her next yawn.

 

Standing up Martin reached down to help her up. She dusted off her pants as she fought through another yawn.

 

“You need help gettin’ set up?” Gripps asked as she started stretching after sitting for so long.

 

And then it happened again. That smell from earlier was back between Gripps and Drummer. It was so sudden and strong that Martin nearly sneezed. What was going on?

 

“No, I should be ok,” she responded as the smell surged again.

 

Martin was so blindsided by it that he missed Drummer kissing Gripps’s forehead and saying  goodnight, and nearly missed his own goodnight kiss. But he felt the light tug on his shirt as she pulled him down to her level and was able to focus on her just in time to feel the softness of her lips brush gently against the corner of his mouth.

 

Ever since that one small town months ago Drummer had taken to giving them all a goodnight kiss before bed if she was headed there before them. Which was pretty often. She just didn’t run the same as them and needed more sleep. But it had become one of Martin favorite rituals, besides the weekly bedtime story that they’d also adopted after their stay in that small town.

 

“Night Martin,” his Drummer mumbled to him sleepily as she leaned back from her kiss.

 

He leaned forward and holding the back of her head, kissed her forehead. “Night Drummer.”

 

She let out a pleased hum before shifting away from him and toward where Cross and Vogel were rough housing. He watched as they stopped long enough for her to give Vogel a hug and a forehead kiss of his own. Cross got a kiss much like he had gotten.

 

Cross reached out a hand to hold Drummer where she was as he asked her something that was too quiet for Martin to make out. When she shook her head no, he figured he’d been asking if she need help setting up their sleep nest.

 

That was something they had started doing once they’d gotten all the crazy business with Wendimoor done and had set back out on the road. They’d been used to just sleeping in the van but Drummer had insisted on blankets and pillows to soften the floor. And damn if it didn’t help.

 

But then again as long as they were all together and safe, Martin would sleep soundly.

 

He waited until she had climbed into the van and started unloading the blankets and pillows they had started hoarding over the last few months before he sat down with Gripps.

 

Without looking at his brother, he picked up the bottle he’d taken from Drummer and took a swig, it being still half full. “So, you wanna tell me what’s up with you and Drummer?” He asked nonchalantly as he settle back into his seat.

 

Gripps looked at Martin then looked over at the van where they could both just make out the shape of the girl in question moving around. They both looked away as she suddenly pulled off her shirt, probably to change into one of the oversized shirts she liked to sleep in.

 

They might all be comfortable with each other but Martin and the others were very careful not to cross any boundaries where their Drummer was concerned. They’d give her privacy when she needed it even if it had become a bit of a foreign concept between them before she’d come along.

 

Silence stretched out between Gripps and Martin for a second, both of them a little flustered by the quick flash of skin they’de both seen. Martin broke it by clearing his throat and taking another swig of his beer before saying “Like I said, you plannin’ on letting me in on whatever is goin’ on?”

 

Gripps risked a quick glance toward the van before he looked at Martin. “Nope. Not my thing.”

 

Martin just hummed in acknowledgment. So he wouldn’t get it from Gripps but he’d figure it out eventually.

  
  


For once Martin was not the last to wake up. In fact he was the only one awake as far as he could tell. The energy in the van was drowsy and calm like it usually was when everyone else was asleep.

 

It had gotten cold enough to have the sliding door closed so there were no night time visitors. They’d woken up more than a few times with random cats and dogs curled up with them. And on one memorable occasion, a raccoon.  

 

But this time it was just him and his Rowdies sleeping in their little nest.

 

It was really tempting to just go back to sleep. He was warm and cozy curled up on his side with someone’s legs resting on him, their heels pressed lightly into his back. Another set of legs were tangled with his, or at least one of them was. The other was draped over his hip. But the weight of them was comfortable.

 

Almost as comfortable as Drummer in his arms.

 

She lay facing away from him, slightly on her stomach. He was low enough that he had slept with his face buried in her back as he curled around her. Their legs were curled together under the tangle of legs resting on them. They had to belong to Vogel and Gripps because on the other side of Drummer was Cross.

 

He could tell because he was the only one that would tangle his fingers in his hair while they slept and Martin could feel the gentle pressure and heat from Cross’s hand against his scalp. And when he raised up his head to look around the van he felt strands of his hair slip from his brother’s grip.

 

Bleary eyed he could make out Gripps and Vogel curled together, leaning against the side of the van. Their legs were draped over everyone else except Cross, who had his legs laying across their laps.

 

The overwhelming feeling of comfort from seeing his family safely curled together was almost enough to get him to lay his head back down and go back to sleep. But he’d woken up early for once and he didn’t want to waste the opportunity for some privacy in the morning.

 

So Martin carefully untangled himself from Drummer and the others. There was a little shifting of bodies but no one else woke up. He quietly dug through the pile of boots and clothes that had been shed when they’d gone to bed for his stuff. It was better to try and leave through the passenger door than to try and open any of the doors in the back, so he climbed over Gripps and slipped out into the cold early morning.

 

The chilly dew-wet grass was a shock against his bare feet and he quickly struggled into his boots for protection. But the air felt good against his slightly over warm skin and he decided to leave his shirt and vest off for the time being. So he threw his clothes over the seats they’d left out overnight as he wandered off behind the old abandoned house to take care of his morning business.

 

By the time he was done Vogel was up and putting on his boots. His youngest brother was still bleary eyed and tired where he leaned against the van for balance. For all his usual energy Vogel was not much of a morning person.

 

When he saw Martin he smiled a drowsy smile at him. “You’re awake.” Vogel said with sleepy surprise. It was really very strange that he would be up before anyone else.

 

Martin smiled and said “Yep. Might as well be a miracle,” before wandering over to where he’d left his clothes.

 

Vogel just huffed a quiet laugh before wandering off in the same direction Martin had gone earlier. A few minutes later he came back and seemed it bit more awake.

 

“What we doing today?” he asked as he came to sit next to Martin where he was digging his rings out of his shirt pockets to put them back on. He’d learned it was best not to sleep with them on a while ago and took to stashing them before bed.

 

“Don’t know. Not much in the area.” He stopped to think about it for a minute as he slipped his last ring on. “You hungry yet?”

 

Vogel scratched his head and yawned away the last of his sleepiness. “Not really,” he replied after a few seconds.

 

As Martin was thinking over what they should do next he picked up a spike of something. Before he could figure out what it was Gripps slid open the door to the van. He was mostly dressed and slid the door closed before walking over to Martin. He gave him a “talk?” sort of look and Martin followed when he walked past, grabbing his shirt as he went.

 

They’d only gotten a bit away, Martin pulling on his shirt as they walked, before Gripps turned to him as said “Drummer needs us to stay put.”

 

Martin paused in fixing his collar as a swell of panic burst in his chest for an instant. But it faded as quick as it came. There was no panic or fear in his brother, and he’d felt nothing bad from Drummer before when he’d woken up. But there had been that moment of something a minute ago. It clicked in his head all at once.

 

There was only one reason Drummer had ever asked for them to stay put, and it must have been that time again. Martin was a little surprised he hadn’t picked up on it sooner. Drummer’s emotions tended to shift when her time was coming and he hadn’t noticed anything.

 

Had Gripps? Was that what that smell on them had been yesterday?

 

It couldn’t be. Gripps would have let him know. It wasn’t really a secret he needed to keep. Drummer might get embarrassed about their unusual reaction to her during but she wouldn’t keep it from them. Yesterday when he’d asked her what was up she’d seemed almost smug.

 

It was something else then. But it didn’t matter now.

 

Drummer needed them to stay put so they would. And they’d do what the need to make sure she was comfortable.

 

Martin nodded at Gripps and then asked, “Anything else?”

 

“She wants to go into town.”

 

Martin looked at him, trying to figure out why she’d want to do that. Last time she’d just wanted to lay in her nest and sleep the first day or so.

 

“Wasn’t prepared.” Gripps said in response to Martin’s silent question.

 

He just nodded in understanding. Or at least the idea of understanding. He was a smart enough man to know he didn’t completely get it, but they did sense the riot of emotions each time it happened and could understand a little. Drummer was always irritated when it first started and from then on her emotions would be in flux until it stopped. Sometimes there was even an unsettling tint of pain to her overall emotional scent. Being caught unprepared would only make it worse.

 

But that might explain why he hadn’t picked up on her shifting scent, there might not have been one if she’d been caught unprepared.

 

“Just you and her or all of us?” Martin asked. He wanted what made her feel most comfortable and he knew she might not want them all tagging along.  

 

“Me and her.”

 

Martin readily agreed and slapped his hand on Gripps’s shoulder before walking back toward the van. Gripps headed to the back of the house to do his business before him and Drummer headed out.

 

The van door was open when Martin got back and Drummer was pulling on her boots in the doorway. She looked pretty miserable and there was a burnt sugar smell that went with the irritation that he could sense coming off her in waves.

 

He walked up to van and leaned his shoulder against the door. “Gripps said we’re staying put for a few days.”

 

Drummer just grunted in the affirmative as she laced up one of her boots.

 

“And that you two are headed into town.”

 

Another grunt.

 

“Do you need us to do anything while you’re gone?” he asked carefully.

 

This time she growled. Martin raised a brow at that.

 

After a moment she sighed and without looking at him apologized, “Gee Martin, I’m sorry.” She rubbed at her eyes with the heels of her palms in irritation. “You know I get all stupid when I start. I don’t mean to be a bitch.” When she finally looked at him she blinked in mild surprise. A slight flush of color painted her cheeks and Martin was reminded that he yet to button up his shirt. He ignored the instinct to preen at her reaction since this wasn’t the time.

 

Martin waved off her apology. “It’s okay Drummer. You’re the one that’s got to deal with that shit.” He paused for a second and looked out at where he sensed Gripps and Cross were both coming back from the back of the house. “We just wanna make sure you’re as comfortable as you can be. I know it can’t be easy dealing with it out on the road.”

 

There was a sudden flood of gratitude from her. “That’s sweet,” she said, voice going soft.

“I appreciate it.”

 

Before she could get all weepy, Gripps walked up and asked, “You ready Drummer?”

 

Slightly startled by his seemingly sudden appearance Drummer gave him a hasty “Yep,” in response as she finished tying up her boots. “Good to go when you are.”

 

Hearing that they were leaving Vogel bounded up, “Where you and Gripps goin’ Boss?” he asked all wide eyed. Cross wandered over to the group and answered for her.

 

“They’re going into town to get some stuff she needs.” He said as he threw an arm around Vogel’s shoulders. As he spoke he pointed to each of them. “Me, you and Martin are gonna set up for a long stay.”

 

At that Vogel groaned. Long stays were boring and he was always too keyed up during them to have as much fun as the others. It didn’t matter that a long stay was usually only two or three days. To him it was an eternity.

 

Sensing that things could get ugly fast with Drummer’s emotional state, Martin reached out and pulled his brother close before whispering in his ear, “Drummer needs us to stay put for a few days.”

 

It took a moment for Vogel to work through that but he got there in the end. “Like last time?” he asked quietly.

 

Martin just nodded in confirmation.

 

A look of sadness came over Vogel and he turned to look at Drummer with puppy dog eyes. “Nooooo, Drummer’s dying again!”

 

Everyone groaned at him. He only had a slight grasp on the fact that Drummer wasn’t like them. Anatomically speaking. He knew her as a sister and sometimes even as a maternal figure. But the logistics of it were lost on him.

 

So when he threw himself at her he began babbling about keeping her safe, and not letting her die. Promising that she could sleep all she wanted and he’d keep watch. No one was gonna bother her while she was dying.

 

The whole time Drummer just looked up at the sky like it would give her a way to stop the madness. Eventually she had to put a stop to it. “Vogel,” she said firmly and when that didn’t get his attention she tried again but louder, “VOGEL.”

 

He looked at her in surprise, his mile a minute monologue cutting short.

 

“We’ve been over this. I’m not dying.” When he blinked at her owlishly she quietly explained again, “It's just a...thing that happens. To ladies.”

 

“But,” he started, “you feel so terrible when it happens. It's all sad, and mad and tired.” He looked up at her in a panic, “And you smell hurt, and sometimes you even feel hurt! How can you not be dying?”

 

“Our Drummer is too much of a badass to die over something as silly as a little blood.” Martin said in his calm way.

 

Gripps chimed in with “She’s still here.”

 

“Not dead yet.” Cross added.

 

“Yeah,” Drummer agreed. “I’ve been doing this for years and I haven’t died.” She soothed Vogel’s hair back. “And I don’t plan on dying this time. So it’s cool.”

 

“You sure?” he asked, voice small with uncertainty.

 

When she smiled and nodded at him he asked, ”But I can still watch out for you right? And we can sleep in the nest together?”

 

“Sure. I’d like that.”

 

“Ok.” Vogel gave her a sharp head nod and pulled out of their embrace, finally reassured enough to calm down.

 

Before anything else could happen Martin took the opportunity to set Vogel and Cross to pulling the camping stuff off the van so they could set up for a long stay. He decided he’d clear out the inside of the van to make sure they didn’t miss anything.

 

While Drummer and Gripps took the van into town he’d set up some line to hang out all the blankets and sheets so they could do some much needed airing out. It would be nice if they could find a water source so they could do some washing. They’d be in one place long enough to have all their stuff dry before they left and there stuff could use it.

 

Once everything was out and off of the van, Drummer took the keys from him and she and Gripps took off for a small town they’d passed that was an hour or so away.

 

It would leave them with more than enough time to get everything set up. If he could keep Cross and Vogel from getting distracted.

 

He managed it for a lot longer than he had expected. Their concern and desire to set up a safe space for their Drummer was enough to keep them on task.

 

Cross has dismantled the firepit and had set to making a more permanent setup that would work better for the next few days. Vogel had started to unpack some their less used supplies for cooking that they’d need for Drummer. He also pulled out some of the battery operated lanterns for more light.

 

Martin had done as he planned and had set up a couple lines of rope using existing poles on the north side of the house. He was working on hanging up some of the blankets when he became aware of a significant lack of noise from the other two.

 

Suspicious, he made his way back over to the where Cross and Vogel should have been setting up camp. Instead he came across the two of them sitting on the longer seat eating something.

 

As he walked up he picked out a sweet smell. Whatever they were eating was some kind of extremely sugary treat. Just what the two of them needed.

 

When he reached them he stopped a few feet away and took in the scene. He needed a cigarette for this. Lighting up he asked, “What you boy got there?”

 

The answer was obvious. Not just by the bright blue bag that rest between them but also by the frankly ridiculous amount of white powder that stood out against their black clothes. Somehow the two of them had found a stash of powdered donuts.

 

Suddenly the thing between Drummer and Gripps made a lot more sense.

 

“Do you want one?” Vogel asked with his mouth full of donut. “They’re real good.”

 

Taking a long draw on his cigarette Martin shook his head. Smoke flowed out of his nose as he huffed an amused breath. “Drummer ain’t gonna be happy you found her stash.”

 

Cross had the sense to look sheepish for a moment but ruined it by reaching into the bad and grabbing another donut.

 

“Oh well,” he said right before he stuffed the thing in his mouth, more white powder falling onto his shirt.

 

Martin shook his head at them several more times as he watched them devour the contents of the bag. By the time he was finished with his smoke there was only a couple donuts left.

 

Cross asked him again, “You sure you don’t want one?” He shook the nearly empty bag at him.

 

It was a little tempting. The things did look good and they certainly smelled good. After moment he gave in. “What the hell.”

 

Both Vogel and Cross whooped in success as Martin reached into the bag and pulled out a powdery donut of his own.

 

He put the whole thing in his mouth as delicately as he could, careful not to get the powder all over himself like his brothers. The sweetness of the powdered sugar coated his tongue and made him want more. Without really thinking he grabbed into the bag and pulled out another, shoving that one in his mouth without the delicacy he’s managed with the first.

 

Before he knew it he was eating another. Within a few moments he’d finished off the last of the bag.

 

Vogel let out a small noise of sadness at not getting a chance to eat one last one but Cross was grinning at Martin, happy that he’d gotten him to finish off the bag. Now they’d all be in trouble, even Martin. It meant that there was a greater chance that Drummer wouldn’t kill them for eating her stash.

 

Martin was dusting the traces of sugar from his chest. He’d lucked out. There wasn’t any white on his shirt or pants. Only a little bit had gotten on his still bare chest and that was easy to wipe away and hide anything that didn’t clean off easily by doing up his shirt. Which he did.

 

Looking at his two cohorts he knew that they’d be caught red handed, or in this case, white handed. And neither of them realized it. And he wasn’t going to save them.

 

Keeping a straight face he reminded them that they needed to finish setting up camp before Drummer and Gripps got back. He walked off to finish his own task before he making sure they actually got back to work.  

 

Either way when the others returned things would get pretty interesting.

  


Amanda pulled up to the abandoned house almost four hours after she and Gripps had left.

 

The ride out had been fine but shopping had been a long chore. There ended up being a lot more stuff to get than she’d anticipated. Part of it was that Gripps had wanted to get her all the things. His need to see her comfortable after sitting in the close confines of the van for an hour being particularly high as they shopped.

 

And then her cramps had started up while they were a few miles out of town to make her more miserable.

 

But she had what she needed for the next few days while her period was the worst. After that they could move on and hopefully find a place she could take a nice long bath. But that was for the future, right now all she wanted to do was take some meds, curl up in a nest with one of the chemical heat packs she’d gotten and eat her powdered donuts.

 

It felt kinda stupid that she would figure her period was close enough to get her donuts but totally misread the timing for when the damn thing would actually start. And being unprepared had not helped her mood. But they were back and as she parked, she could see that the others had finished setting up the camp.

 

When she climbed out she could see Vogel over the hood of the van, messing with something by the house. Cross was tying a length of rope to a tarp that she knew would get tied to the rack on the van now that they were back. But she couldn’t locate Martin.

 

As she rounded the front of the van she heard Gripps say, “Oh no. Bad news.”

 

Confused she moved over over to him to see what was up, but before she could get to him she caught sight of Vogel. White smears all over his clothes.

 

“Are you kidding me?” She nearly snarled.

 

The boys she could see stopped what they were doing and looked at her. That’s when she saw that Cross also had white powder staining his black clothes.

 

“Oh my god. I thought we’d hidden those. Which one of you found them?” she asked, clearly furious.

 

Both Cross and Vogel pointed at each other trying to deflect Amanda’s wrath.

 

“Ugh.” She threw her hands in the air. “Where’s Martin?”

 

They both pointed to the north side of the house and she stomped away. As she walked away she could make out Gripps mutter, “Not good.”

 

On the north side of the house she found their blankets hanging on lines to air out but she didn’t see Martin.

 

“Drummer?” she heard from her left.

 

Turning she saw Martin sitting on a relatively clear patch of ground with his back against the house.

 

“You okay?” He asked, clearly scenting out her foul mood.

 

“No.” she snapped as she sat herself down next to him. She remained silent until he nudged her with his shoulder.

 

“What’s up?”

 

She looked at him for a moment. There were no traces of white smudges on his clothes so he hadn’t had any of her donuts and thus she couldn’t be mad at him.

 

“Did you know that Cross and Vogel found my stash of donuts?”

 

He gave her small smile. “Yeah.”

 

She gave him an incredulous look, “And you didn’t stop them from eating them?”

 

He scratched at his neck, “If they were dumb enough to eat them knowing they were yours they deserve whatever you do to them.”

 

Amanda made a small disbelieving hum. “I guess,” she said after a minute.

 

They sat in silence for a little bit. Amanda’s anger slowly fading down to a low simmer. Martin’s calm demeanor always helped when she was on edge.

 

After a few minutes Martin nodded toward the blankets hanging up. “You want to set up your nest and get some rest?” He looked at her, bringing his hand up to smooth her bangs out of her face, “You feel a little tired.”

 

She made another humming noise, this time in agreement. “Yeah, that sounds nice.”

 

Together they pulled several of the blankets down and walked back over to the van. When she passed Cross and Vogel she glared daggers at them. She tried not to feel bad at the way Vogel looked crestfallen. But dammit, she really wanted those damn donuts.

 

Once in the van Martin helped her set up the blankets the way she wanted. He must have been still picking up on her irritation because he asked her, “You gonna let them stew all day?”

 

“Ugh, no. I’ll forgive them before the sun sets.” She gave him a quick smile that he returned. “I’m just so pissed. I really wanted those donuts,” she said as she settled back into her nest, finally happy with it.

 

She dug in one of the bags they’d came back with to pull out a heating pad. She struggled with activating for a moment before Martin took it out of her hand and did it for her. She smiled in gratitude at him as she pressed it to her stomach.

 

“You know, I wouldn’t be so mad if they’d saved me a few donuts. But no they had to finish them all off.”

 

She caught the slightest flinching around Martin’s eyes but dismissed it as empathy for his brothers.

 

The long trip to town and the heat against her skin was making her tired, her fatigue kicking into high gear. She could tell she’d be asleep in a few minutes.  

 

Martin seemed to also pick up on how tired she was getting because he started to climb out of the van. But she called out to him before he could leave.

 

“Hey, wait.” She gave him a soft smile, “Can I get a goodnight kiss?”

 

“It aint’ night yet Drummer,” he answered with a smile of his own.

 

“I know, but I want a kiss.”

 

He gave her another smile as he leaned over to her. The feel of his lips against hers was nice. Usually the kisses they shared were only partially on the lips, and always given by her. The shift out of their norm was thrilling and it caused her to push it a bit further than either of them was expecting.

 

Her hand came up to grip the short hairs at the back of his head. At that he let out a soft sound, almost a groan. She took the chance to run her tongue along the inside of his lower lip and was surprised at how sweet he tasted. But the sound he made then had her blood burning and her mind fuzzy.

 

She could feel him restrain himself from taking the kiss deeper and she made a displeased noise as he pulled away.

 

When he spoke his voice was deeper than she was used to. It might as well have been a growl. “Drummer. Get some sleep.”

 

She sighed, letting her hand slip from from his hair and fall onto the blankets. “Fine,” she said, her own voice was slightly husky.

 

“Good night Drummer,” he said as he slid out of the van.

 

She licked at her lips, aware of the phantom pressure of him against them. When she caught  a sweetness on them she was confused. She had thought she had imagined that.

 

“Wait a minute,” she whispered to herself as things clicked in her mind. That sneaky bastard.

 

She looked at him as he was closing the door to the van. When she made eye contact he winked at her. Clearly she was right, she couldn’t trust him with her donuts.

 

“Son of a bitch,” she said to the roof. It was better just to let it go but Amanda wouldn’t be herself if she did that. An instant later she was bounding out of the van after Martin.

 

“Oh, the three of you are gonna pay!” she yelled, ready to exact her vengeance on those sneaks.

 

Gripps just watched from where he sat. Happy to watch the chaos unfold.

 


End file.
